What if Jacob had imprinted on Bella?
Pg. 266 New Moon"Jacob, please," I whispered. "Won't you tell me what happened? Maybe I can help."
"No one can help me now." The words were a low moan: his voice broke.
"What did he do to you?" I demanded, tears collecting in my eyes. I reached out to him as I had once before, stepping forward with my arms wide.
This time he cringed away, holding his hands up defensively. "Don't touch me," he whispered.
But I kept walking, and he kept backing up until I sprinted and threw myself at him; he had no choice. Jacob could either catch me, or let me fall to the ground; if he let me fall … I don't know what I would do.
There was a whoosh of air as sailed I through the empty space…and a sign escaped my throat when I felt his strong, steady arms come around me. I fell against his chest in relief. I was embraced by his heat, his warmth. I held on to him with all my might, my nails digging into his chest and skin. But there was no give. His hands did not caress my arms, his body did not cradle mine; there was no love in his embrace, only caution.
He didn't react in anyway, as if he didn't have his once-love clutching herself to him. But slowly, so slowly I might not have noticed if I hadn't been completely plastered to his side, I felt his stiff stance weakening. Centimeter by slow centimeter, he started to tremble, in supplication or anger I didn't know but I held on, I didn't care; no one else mattered except Jake. For so long Jacob had been the one to put me back together, now it was my turn.
I was going to put him back together. Whatever it was, whatever was happening I didn't care; for once I was going to take care of him.
After what seemed like hours, but was only minutes, his legs seemed to give out and he fell to his knees. He was so tall now, that even kneeled before me his head reached my sternum. His arms squirmed in discomfort, then, like a house caving in on itself his stance crumbled, and his arms fell from my shoulders to wrap around my waist. He relaxed fully, his grip becoming lax, and I almost toppled over under his weight but I held my ground, bracing myself against him so we were leaning on each other.
I could feel his warm breath brush my flesh and his burning skin pressed against mine but I didn't mind at all, I actually found it quite pleasant. I simply wrapped my arms around his broad shoulders and twined my hands in his now cleanly cut hair. I rubbed my fingers threw his short hair, it was spiky and uneven, so it must've been cut at home by someone. I mourned the loss of his once long locks.
I leaned my head down so my nose rested on the crown of his own, and inhaled his warm scent. I kissed his scalp lightly, and leaned my forehead against the side of his.
"It's okay, it's going to be okay. I promise …" I said these types of things over and over, wanting to imprint them on his soul.
Then a series of loud thumps and cracks broke our silent paradise.
Sam and his followers stepped through the trees, they were all scowling angrily and frankly it pissed me off. When one of the wolves made a move to open his mouth, no doubt a sharp reprimand on his tongue, I said in low, vicious voice, "Don't. Say. Anything. Not one goddamn word."
Shockingly he listened, his mouth snapping closed with an audible snap.
I sighed my shoulders sagging and just snuggled my body around Jacob's, like a shield, and just held on for dear life.
When I felt Jacob tense his muscles to rise I held on tighter, squeezing my eyes shut, not wanting to believe our time had come to close so quickly. But he rose anyway, strongly gently removing my arms from around him. When he turned toward them, I latched onto his hand.
"Please, don't." I choked, and this time when he turned back to look at me there was no anger there, only a bone deep sadness that shook me.
"I have to, Bella." My chest felt like it was cracking open wide in agony.
"No you don't," I said vehemently. "You can choose to stay; you can choose to say no to them, you can."
"It's not that simple, Bella," he said shaking his head, lightly tugging his hand back. In my opinion, he didn't put too much effort in the pull.
"Yes. It is." I tugged back on his hand.
"What would you know about it?" the sneering voice came from behind us. I peered over Jacob's shoulder just as he turned his head.
"Paul," he growled under his breath. "She just wants to help."
"Oh, yeah, I'm sure the leech lover is just dying to help us out!"
"Don't call her that!" Jacob yelled back.
A shudder rippled through the other boy, along his shoulders and down his spine.
"Paul," Sam called sharply. "Relax!"
Paul shook his head back and forth, as if trying to clear his head.
"Jake," I whispered trying to bring his attention back on me. He turned to look at me, his eyes communicating an inner struggle that had more to do with us than his new friends.
"Bells, I'm just not good for you…" Jacob started to speak, attempting to use a 'reasonable' tone, to pacify me I assumed.
"Don't give me that bullshit. You're the best thing for me, Jacob!" My eyes fell to his chest. "I know I haven't … been well lately, but I could be better! If there was anyone I'd want to be with, it'd be you. I'd do it Jake, I would! It wouldn't be hard at all, You're so easy to love…" My breath caught in my throat, tears filling in my eyes. I wanted to run and hide away; I hated showing more weakness to Jake than I already had.
My gaze lifted again and caught his obsidian gaze. I lifted the hand I held to my check, brushing against it tenderly before pressing it to my chest, above my heart.
"It'd be so easy to love you Jake…" My voice was choked, thick with trying to keep my tears from spilling over. Jacob's face twisted into a pained grimace. His body arching forward towards me in a freakish dance. It seemed his body was trying to gravitate towards me; but he wasn't allowing it free reign.
"I just … I can't Bella. I can't put you in danger." Jacob's voiced trembled, his hand shaking where I held it against my thundering heart.
"You wouldn't," I urged. "You could never hurt me Jacob, anyone could see that." I walked forward, till we were close again. "Jacob, I need you … please …" I trailed off, looking at him helplessly. It was the last argument in my arsenal. I could see his will weakening, his body slowly giving into the pull he had towards me. I was completely surrounded by his body; his scent overwhelmed me. I had been feeling on edge all the time since he'd stopped visiting; twitchy almost. I hadn't been able to sit still. I hadn't been able to relax. Now, feeling his warm body against mine, smelling his heated skin, I could feel my body giving out. Relaxing; melting.
"Get away from him you freak!" An angry shout echoed across the field separating us.
"Jeez, Paul," another boy muttered. "Get a grip."
Paul twisted his head toward the boy, his lips curling back in irritation and warning. Then he shifted his glare toward me. Jacob tensed in front of me, turning and spreading his legs, holding his arms outward in a fighting stance.
That did it.
"Oh, right, protect her!" Paul roared back like a lion with its paw pricked. Another shudder, a convulsion, heaved through his body. He threw his head back, a real life growl tearing from between clenched teeth.
"Paul!" Sam and Jacob shouted together.
Paul fell forward on his hands and knees, vibrating in an unearthly way. Then there was a ripping sound, almost like fabric being torn apart, and the boy exploded.
It wasn't like in the movies where fake skin fell to the ground, bones cracked, or blood spattered, it was just as if Paul ceased to exist, as if he'd never been, and what stood in his place was like a nightmare out of a book.
Hulking muscle and rising fur, a snarling mass of power. A wolf the size of a horse towering over the ground, his dark enraged eyes focused totally on me.
In the same second all this took place, Jacob was running across the forest floor straight for the monster.
"Jacob!" I screamed.
Mid-stride a long tremor shivered down Jacob's spine. He leapt forward, diving into empty air and then Jacob ceased to exist too. It happened so quickly I would've missed if I'd even blinked. The same hulk of an animal in his place, russet brown and huge, still charging toward the silver beast.
Jacob met the other wolf's attack head-on, their angry snarls echoed like thunder off the trees. Scraps of what had been Jacob's clothes floated to the ground.
"Jacob!" I screamed again, staggering forward.
"Stay where you are, Bella," Sam ordered. It was hard to hear over the battle sounds. They were snapping and tearing at each other, their teeth flashing toward each other's throats. The Jacob-wolf seemed to have the upper hand– he was visibly bigger than the other, and it looked like he was stronger too. He rammed his shoulder against the gray wolf again, knocking him back towards the trees.
Then I saw something that never terrified me more than my life, the silver wolf's claws slashing toward Jacob ripping away fur and drawing a great amount of blood. I screamed, a wordless sound of agony and collapsed to the ground, the world fading away around me.
I know I'm evil, but I hope you don't think ending it with Bella fainting was wimpy.